skills3 - 1

Get ahead

To become successful or make progress in life [Even his father, for all his shortcomings, wanted his son to get ahead.

Read on

To continue reading a text [Read on for a comprehensive overview of the study's findings.

Tormented by

To be greatly distressed or annoyed by something [He was tormented by vivid, recurring nightmares every night.

Stride

To walk with long, decisive steps [He strode across the classroom to hand in his paper.

More than meets the eye

Being more complex than it first appears [The seemingly simple case turned out to have more than meets the eye.

Twists and turns

Complicated dealings or unexpected changes [My life has been full of twists and turns since I moved here.

Cast his mind back

To think back to a particular time in the past [He cast his mind back to his childhood to find the answer.

Make ends meet

To earn just enough money to live on [Sometimes I struggle to make ends meet with current inflation.

Coming down with

To start to suffer from an illness [He died after coming down with a fever while on his travels.

Lost sight of

To forget or stop considering something important [I never lost sight of my goals despite the many distractions.

Progressive vision loss

A gradual decrease in the ability to see over time [The condition causes progressive vision loss if not treated.

Tactical

Carefully planned to achieve a specific end [The game required a tactical and fast approach to win.

Infested with

To be present in large numbers, typically as a pest [The abandoned house was infested with fleas and parasites.

Glistened

To shine with a sparkling light [The wet leaves glistened like jewels in the afternoon sun.

Barely get out of bed

To have extreme difficulty starting the day [On her darkest days, she could barely get out of bed.

The remedy is worse than the disease

The solution to a problem is more damaging than the problem itself [The harsh new laws meant the remedy was worse than the disease.

Alleviate

To make suffering or a problem less severe [We need to find ways to alleviate suffering in our community.

Stay afloat / keep my head above the water

To manage to survive or stay out of debt [I am working overtime just to stay afloat this month.

Cut out for

To be naturally suited for a specific role or task [I realized I was cut out for the life of a teacher.

Instilled

To gradually but firmly establish an idea or attitude [My parents instilled in me a sense of self-reliance.

Follow someone's lead

To do the same thing as someone else [If you are unsure of the rules, just follow her lead.

Fall apart

To break into pieces or fail completely [If either condition was missing, his performance fell apart.

More to it than that

The situation is more complex than it seems [I suspect there is more to it than that, so keep investigating.

Proportion

A part or share in relation to a whole [Scientists measure brain weight as a proportion of total weight.

Perspective

A particular attitude or way of seeing something [From this personal perspective, the decision makes perfect sense.

Prohibited

Formally forbidden by law or rule [The substance should be strictly regulated, if not prohibited altogether.

Entitled to

Having a right to certain benefits or privileges [He is entitled to a benefit because of his disability.

First-hand

Obtained by personal experience [I witnessed this first-hand during my trip to the hospital.

Nature vs nurture

The debate over the influence of genetics vs environment [The study explores how nature and nurture shape personality.

Touchstone

A standard by which something is judged [This classic novel is the touchstone for all modern fantasy.

Rigorous

Extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate [The candidates underwent a rigorous interview process.

Coward

A person who lacks courage [He felt like a coward for not helping his friend in need.

Endure

To suffer something painful or difficult patiently [The refugees had to endure a long and dangerous journey.

Taxonomy

The branch of science concerned with classification [The taxonomy of these insects is still being debated by experts.

Preliminary

An action or event preceding something more important [We finished the preliminary research before writing the report.

Contemplation

The action of looking or thinking thoughtfully [He spent the hour in deep contemplation before making a choice.

Thought-provoking

Stimulating careful consideration or attention [The movie was very thought-provoking and sparked a long debate.

Culminating event

The final result or highest point of a series [The gala was the culminating event of the charity drive.

Scaffold

A temporary structure or framework [The workers used a scaffold to reach the high ceiling.

Customize

To modify something to suit an individual [You can customize the dashboard to show the data you need.

Supplementary

Completing or enhancing something [The book includes supplementary exercises at the end of each chapter.

Eye-catching

Immediately noticeable or attractive [The bright neon sign was very eye-catching.

Yearn for

To have an intense feeling of longing for something [The sailors began to yearn for the sight of dry land.